Kindred Spirit - Summer 2011 by Dallas Theological Seminary

KINDRED SPIRIT DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Fall 2011 Vol. 35 No. 2

TRUTH FREE

The

you

PDF Version This is the digital (PDF) version of Kindred Spirit magazine. You can click wherever you see this arrow to immediately jump to a webpage (if you have internet connectivity) on the device you are using to view this publication.

shall set

F r o m

t h e

C ONTENTS

P r e s i d e n t

Fall 2011

Free at Last Dallas Theological Seminary’s mission is to glorify God by equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of His Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide.

Published three times a year by Dallas Theological Seminary 3909 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75204 Dr. Mark L. Bailey, President Dr. Mark M. Yarbrough, Vice President for Communication Sandra L. Glahn, Editor-in-Chief Keith D. Yates, Director of Creative Services and Publications Dr. Roy B. Zuck, Copy and Theological Editor Debbie J. Stevenson, Production Manager Kelli Sallman, Copy Editing Service Photo, page 6, Pam Pitt Back cover art, Linda Tomczak (NET Bible) SUBSCRIBE Subscriptions are free of charge to addresses in the United States. Call 800-DTS-WORD or 214-824-3094 and ask for the Kindred Spirit subscription office, sign up online at www.dts.edu/ks, or write to the address below. EMAIL For information about DTS’s graduate degree programs: fyi@dts.edu To correspond by email: ks@dts.edu To submit articles, request reprints, or make comments: sglahn@dts.edu DONATIONS For information on how you can support the ministry of DTS call 214-841-3720. KS ONLINE/SUBMISSIONS To download writers’ guidelines or to view Kindred Spirit online visit www.dts.edu/ks. POSTMASTER Email address changes to rkilgore@dts.edu, or send to: DTS‑Kindred Spirit 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204 Unless noted otherwise, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

ne of the greatest blessings is hearing BC (Before Christ) and AC (After Christ) testimonies. Nothing puts tears into the eyes and down the cheeks like testimonies of God’s great grace. Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Battery System of America and Dallas Seminary board member, has such a story. For many years he drank hard and worked hard. But then he found freedom from alcohol through his relationship with Christ. He tells his story on Interstate’s website: “The good news is that ‘the truth shall make you free,’ and Jesus Christ is the Truth. So I accepted Him just as the Bible teaches: as my Lord and Savior, as God’s own begotten Son who died as payment for my sins. In Him is the forgiveness of sins and the power of self-control in being freed from the bondage of sin.” The phrase Norm quotes, “The truth shall make you free,” comes from John 8, where Jesus was talking to Jews. He told them, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…. Everyone who sins is a slave to sin…. If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” In his first public ministry appearance, Jesus read from the prophecy about Messiah in Isaiah 61 of freeing captives. He then boldly told his audience that the prediction was coming true before their very eyes. Two thousand years have authenticated His message with the evidence of transformed lives. The power of Christ continues to take people enslaved to sin and self and set them free to be “free indeed.” The metaphors of addiction and slavery as well as those of release and freedom touch us in a deep place. Innately we react against slavery. And one of the most sickening forms of literal captivity in our day is human trafficking. Sometimes we think of it as happening “over there somewhere.” Yet the U.S. and other wealthy countries are prime destinations for thousands of men, women, and children exploited for profit. My own home state of Texas has the highest human-trafficking arrest rate of any in the U.S., with people forced or manipulated to work against their wills as slaves and prostitutes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that a growing number of our alumni and students are reaching out to slavery’s victims. Men and women who have, themselves, found freedom in Christ are working to set free those caught in physical bondage. And in doing so, they find opportunity to model and then tell of the One who sets free in every way. In the pages of this issue of Kindred Spirit you’ll meet some of these courageous servants. And you’ll read words from DTS professor Dr. Stephen Bramer about how Amos teaches that concern for others’ freedom should be a hallmark characteristic of God’s people. You will also find a reminder from the late Hampton Keathley III (ThM, 1966) that freedom in Christ means freedom to choose slavery, as we are called to be slaves to one another in love. Every Christ-follower has a “before” and “after” story. The story we all have in common is “once dead,” and now “alive in Him.” Our Lord is the great Emancipator! Having been freed by Him, our job is to take the good news to others, and to preach the Word—and live the Word so that others, holding to His teaching, may find they too can be free at last. n —Dr. Mark L. Bailey

Dallas Theological Seminary

“You will know

VOL. 35, NO. 2

Equipping Captives for Freedom and Faith

An emancipated slave in Nepal takes the gospel and job skills back to her village, thanks in part to DTS grad John Pitt (ThM, 1985) and his wife, Pam.

the truth, and the truth will set you free”

Freedom Square 7 From A DTS graduate pastoring in Cairo, Egypt, reports on the political upheaval there and reflects on the

(John 8:32).

true meaning of freedom.

Stephanie Clanton: Helping New Friends Find New Life

After spending a summer with captives rescued from the slave trade, Stephanie Reese Clanton (MA/BC, 2009) wanted to minister to this population. Now a DTS graduate, she works with women in a major trafficking location: Dallas, Texas.

Kindred Spirit Online www.dts.edu/ks

Free to Be Slaves

Believers are set free to a purpose—to serve others—according to Paul in Galatians 5. The late Hampton Keathley III (ThM, 1966) walks readers through the apostle’s argument.

Article/video: Internet missionary Tim Kimberley ministers by using technology that once enslaved him. Article: Pain and Victory in Chiapas Denise and David Love’s visit to a spiritual hot zone provided an inspiring picture of what it means to be truly free in Christ. Link: Dr. Daniel B. Wallace reflects on slavery in the New Testament, answering such questions as “Why didn’t Paul urge slaves to revolt?” Article: Caught in Traffic Read a longer version of Julie Lyons’s article in this issue (“Freedom: A Theological Perspective”).

Freedom: A Theological Perspective

DTS Houston student Julie Waters announces freedom to the captives, and a DTS professor grounds such work in theology from Amos, in this excerpt from a longer online article by author Julie Lyons.

Free to Follow DTS is forever indebted to Jack Turpin for his faithful leadership and investment.

Excerpt: Stop Human Trafficking Check out Linda Tomczak’s ideas on how one person can make a difference.

Kindred Spirit

Equipping Captives for Freedom and Faith The numbers can overwhelm us: 12.3 million people around the world are caught in slavery. But John Pitt (ThM, 1985) and his wife, Pam, know the impact of rescuing just one girl. Last year they visited a village in Nepal where this child returned to her home to share the hope of Christ. She taught the girls in her village the skills she learned while in rehabilitation, and together they started a garden to sell fresh produce and provide healthy food for their families. Thirty-eight females— including the tribal leader’s wife—now believe in Christ. And God recently raised up a pastor to plant a church so the girls don’t have to walk an hour each way to attend services. So this one girl, knowingly and willingly discarded by her family, took the gospel back to her own unreached community, and in doing so gave every girl there a chance for a better life. Several years ago the Pitts attended a conference where they learned about human trafficking, sweat shops, and the sexual slave trade. “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think slavery still existed,” John said. Over the next several weeks God continued to prod their hearts. John read a National Geographic article about the sex slave trade in Southeast Asia, and he and Pam saw the movie Amazing Grace about the work of English emancipator William Wilberforce. The Pitts knew they wanted to be a part of the solution. After months of praying and researching, Pam discovered She Is Safe (SIS), a Christian mission organization committed to restoring abused and exploited women and girls in highrisk places, equipping them to live in freedom and faith. SIS comes alongside local Christians in ten countries least reached with the gospel to develop sustainable long-term relationships and together address hard-hitting issues including poverty, physical abuse, child marriage, exploitation, and human trafficking. In the US, SIS raises awareness and organizes advocacy groups. To document the realities for girls in Nepal, SIS was looking for a photographer to join an upcoming trip, and Pam went.

By Katy Anderson (ThM, 2005)

Shortly after returning, she joined the SIS staff as Nepal’s area director. At the time John, a former senior pastor, was working as a businessman, taking vacation days to travel with Pam. Using skills honed in both careers, he communicated with local partners and spoke to church and community groups about trafficking. “He is not only able to get the nuts and bolts we need, but he has also developed a great relationship with the Nepalese partners, strengthening our ability to do the work of the gospel,” Pam said. Now back in the pastorate as senior pastor of Dunwoody Community Church in Atlanta, John continues his partnership with SIS and its local partner. He and Pam fight trafficking through rescue, rehabilitation, and prevention. According to the International Labor Organization, every month more than one thousand girls are trafficked across the NepalIndia border, many under the age of sixteen. A border monitoring station aptly placed at a busy checkpoint provides the greatest hope of rescue. The ministry works alongside Nepali authorities to search for trafficked children. When they observe a suspicious situation, the workers separate and interview the party,

continued on next page

Dallas Theological Seminary

Kindred Spirit

and explain the ploys traffickers use to lure their prey. Only then does a girl understand she is being trafficked. Once a girl is rescued, workers network to return her to her own community. Sometimes rescued girls have been enslaved for years and need rehabilitation. When in Nepal, John and Pam spend time in a rehabilitation home, a space where girls can heal. The girls participate in Bible studies, hear the gospel, and experience love and hope for the first time. They also learn vocational, literacy, and other life skills. And they receive medical treatment and trauma counseling. After a year of rehabilitation the girls are reintegrated into local communities. Some even go to college. Many teach skills to others at risk, educating them to the ploys of traffickers. On a recent trip John and Pam visited a tribe freed from slavery but with no means to make a living. The villagers had agreed to send their five most promising girls to India to obtain jobs to support their families. But the “good Samaritan” who had offered to help was a trafficker, enslaving the girls and abandoning the villagers to loan sharks. This situation is not unique. Many families of victims believe they are giving daughters their only opportunity for a better life through a once-in-a-lifetime job offer, marriage proposal, or other scheme, only to have the girls sold to brothel owners.

Dallas Theological Seminary

That is why prevention is the most effective way to fight trafficking. In addition to transforming lives internationally, part of the Pitts’ fight against trafficking is raising awareness in the U.S. Pam attends monthly meetings of a local collaboration of anti-trafficking ministries in Atlanta. She and John also speak about modern-day slavery and their own efforts against it, sharing stories of hope, raising awareness, and equipping others to become advocates in the global fight. Despite the many challenges they face, John and Pam believe they are exactly where God wants them. “Howard Hendricks always used to say, ‘Find out what God is doing, and ask Him if you can get in on it,’” John said. “This has been it for Pam and me. When you look into the eyes of these beautiful young girls who have been rescued from a brothel, or are at great risk of being stolen into one, you know why it’s important.” Human trafficking is one of the world’s three most lucrative criminal enterprises, and is the fastest growing. Victims are coerced, exploited, and defrauded, and then forced into servitude, the commercial sex industry, or as child soldiers. The number of slaves trafficked across international borders annually is ten times higher than the transatlantic slave trade was at its peak. Major trafficking hubs exist in Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, as well as other large metropolitan areas in the U.S. But trafficking victims are also found mowing lawns, serving as domestics, and working in fields outside major cities in dozens of small communities. Former Assistant Attorney General Wan Kim suggests, “It could be happening in your neighborhood, and if the human traffickers are doing a good job, no one knows about it because it’s an underground crime. The victims are so scared, so subjugated, so victimized that they will not reach out for help.” n Katy Anderson (ThM, 2005) is the knowledge management coordinator for She Is Safe. She researches female abuse and exploitation in ten countries least reached by the gospel—from West Africa to East Asia. Katy works with project managers and indigenous local partners to determine the best ways to bring physical, spiritual, and emotional transformation to the destitute. Through her travels in India, Katy has seen firsthand the suffering of women and girls, and the saving hope of Christ.

From “Free d

om” Square

or the past three years Steve or will Flora has served in Cairo, Egypt, as the buoyant optimism senior pastor of Maadi Community of Christian-Muslim cooperation become Church, an interdenominational reality? We will have to wait and see, and congregation of expatriates from up to forty waiting is hard! Our only recourse is to fall to different nationalities worshiping under an our knees and place our lives and futures in outdoor canopy fifty-two weeks a year. He the hand of the One who controls it all for His and his family of five have every intention of purposes. After all, His freedom is the only one staying. that is truly liberating! Steve writes, “Revolutions have a way of “In the middle of all this upheaval, the clarifying priorities. Having a front-row seat emotional roller coaster of revolution and to watch the dramatic events unfold each counter revolution, in the middle of the day in Egypt’s Tahrir (Freedom) Square was exhaustion caused by sleepless nights, too simultaneously exciting and unnerving. much CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera, and being There was a palpable sense of hope in the streets of Cairo punctuated by some alarming burned out on adrenaline, one thing has remained. One thing, steady, constant, incidents of violence. reliable, trustworthy: God’s “As the pastor of an international church, love for Egypt. He is able and I have witnessed limits on religious freedom will carry out, no matter the firsthand. We know that direct conversations circumstances, His great plan for with Muslims to accept the gospel are this country, part of which is laid not allowed, while converting to Islam is permissible and encouraged. Each year some out in Isaiah 19. “God’s name, his actual name members in our church are barred reentry revealed to Moses right here in into the country because of their Christian Egypt is ‘I AM.’ What a name! activities. That is just an inconvenience How much more steady and compared to the persecution that Coptic reliable can you get than that? Christians endure. Their ID cards must show that they are Christian. Movement into better He is. He’s not going anywhere. He is present. He is right here, jobs has been limited for most. They live in right now, with us.” n fear and frustration. “Now we wait to see how post-revolution Follow Steve on the web: Egypt will unfold. No one knows how or if steve-karan.blogspot.com and religious freedom will change in the future. www.maadicommunitychurch.com/blog. Will the fundamentalist group in favor of restrictive Sharia law move toward control,

Kindred Spirit

PROFILE

Stephanie Clanton:

Helping New Friends Find New Life After spending a summer in India and Nepal living with women rescued from the slave trade, Stephanie (Reese) Clanton knew she “couldn’t do anything else but minister to this population.” Stephanie talks with DTS grad April Frazier about the work that has changed her life. How did you first get involved with the fight against human trafficking? I was at a missionary conference my senior year of college. As I was praying during the conference, a thought popped into my head about ministering to prostitutes. It was a really odd thought to me because I didn’t know any ministries like that existed. The next morning during the main session the founders of Project Rescue spoke. They run safe homes for sextrafficked victims, and they help them leave the sex-traffic world. I spoke with the founders later, and they invited me to participate in an internship with seven other girls. So I spent the summer of 2007 in India and Nepal living with and ministering to rescued women in the Homes of Hope. How did this experience change you? My life was forever changed after living with the Project Rescue women. At the end of my internship I knew I couldn’t do anything else but work with this population. So I geared my DTS classes and electives in counseling toward ministering to these women. At first I thought my only option was to return overseas to participate in a ministry like this, but then a friend told me about New Friends New Life (NFNL), an organization that helps women leave sexually oriented businesses in Dallas. So I visited their office and loved what they were doing. I did my counseling internship there for DTS, and a year after my internship, they hired me to be a protégé counselor. What do you do as a protégé counselor? I do individual therapy for all our protégés, who are the women who have been accepted into the program after they have applied. I also run group therapy sessions on abuse, and I do family therapy for the protégés’ children. I try to develop networks with other counselors and psychiatrists in the area who can also offer

Dallas Theological Seminary

pro-bono work for the women. All the protégés are assigned a social worker who helps them set up action plans, whether going back to school, finding a job, or getting their felonies or misdemeanors taken off their record so they can find jobs and housing and take care of their kids. At NFNL we basically help the women get to a point where they can be self-sustaining and self-supporting.

I geared my DTS classes and electives in counseling toward ministering to these women.

How can others help the work you are doing? People can help by getting churches to aid such women. They see Christ in us, but they feel very uncomfortable stepping into a church. Sometimes they don’t know how to dress or how to censor what they share. So make your church congregation more aware of how to receive these women and how to treat them and love them. They need church members to walk alongside them and encourage them. Another way people can help is to volunteer at NFNL or another organization that does something similar. Educate yourself about the world of human trafficking and meet some of its victims. When you come face to face with this reality, it will deeply affect you. What has had the most impact for you as you work with these women? I’m just so proud of them. Often I hear more truth and wisdom from them than I do in a small group from my church. They speak such raw truth. It’s uninhibited, so it comes out bluntly, but it’s sincere. They soak up information. They are inquisitive, and they want to know about God. I see why Jesus loved the people with whom the Pharisees did not associate. They are at a place where they are so ready for hope. n

Kindred Spirit

Free to Be Slaves

Our freedom in Christ is particularly concerned with human relationships, which flow from a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. A train is effective only when it runs on the tracks for which it was designed. Tracks don’t inhibit a train; they enable it to run freely so long as it is running under the power of the steam or fuel of its engines. The same is true of Christians as we choose to serve one another. Five times in the fifth chapter of Galatians the apostle uses “one another” in relation to our freedom—once in verse 13, twice in verse 15, and twice in verse 26. Central to each reference is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. And here lies a great Christian paradox. Paul, having warned the Galatian Christians against becoming slaves again to the Law and the flesh, then urges them to become servants and slaves! But this time they are slaves to one another (Gal. 5:13), which includes being bond slaves to God (1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 12:1). This paradox is instructive: • Slavery to one another and to God is nothing like slavery to the flesh or to the Law. • Slavery to flesh and the Law result in death, misery, and frustration. It causes people to be consumed, torn apart by one another. • Slavery to God and one another results in true freedom and maximum blessing. • Slavery to God and to one another is voluntary. But it is a product of love and the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus it becomes a source of glory to God, and joy, peace, and blessing to self and to others.

Slavery to God and one another results in true freedom and maximum blessing. Hampton Keathley III (ThM, 1966) served as a pastor for twentyeight years before lung cancer took his earthly life in 2002. His ministry continues through the many articles he wrote for the Biblical Studies Foundation, accessible at bible.org.

Dallas Theological Seminary

In Mark 8:33–35 we read Jesus’ words about how true freedom flows out of total commitment to Jesus Christ: “But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Out of my sight, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.’ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.’” In losing our lives in devotion to Him and His purposes, and in turning control of our lives over to Him, we find true freedom—the freedom to be what God designed us to be and to thus experience true joy. Using our freedom to indulge ourselves never satisfies the heart’s core longings. Instead it destroys the soul’s capacity to relate to others, and leads either to the neglect of others or their exploitation. Being a servant of Christ involves us in service to others because being in Christ we are part of His body and members of one another.

Kindred Spirit

Dr. Stephen Bramer, professor of Bible Exposition at DTS, points to God’s covenant with Noah and his descendants (Gen. 9:6) as well as the Old Testament prophets for a theological perspective on human trafficking. In the Noahic Covenant, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Human life, then, has inherent value and dignity. “It’s a basic theological principle of the prophets and throughout Scripture: people are not things. People are to be treated properly,” Bramer said. The prophet Amos pronounced judgments against six Gentile nations because even though they weren’t subject to the Law of Moses, God held them responsible for how they treated people. “They treated people as things; they treated people as dirt; they treated people as less than of value,” Bramer said.

For the complete article from which this was excerpted, go to Kindred Spirit Online at www.dts.edu/ks. You’ll read about Houston student Julie Waters, who founded Free the Captives, a ministry that mobilizes churches against human trafficking and seeks to protect at-risk teen girls.

Free to Follow

What Believers Can Do Free the Captives’ Julie Waters (student, Houston campus), ALERT Ministries’ Christina Mackenzie, and International Justice Mission’s (IJM) Christa Hayden spoke with Kindred Spirit about how to get involved in the fight against human trafficking. Pray. Free the Captives (FTC) and ALERT send e-mail bulletins so people can pray specifically. FTC holds a day of prayer and fasting once a month, and Waters has seen God “open doors and answer prayers on that day or the very next day.” Educate yourself. “Christians tend to have a vague understanding of human trafficking,” Waters says. FTC and IJM provide resources on their websites “that won’t scar you for life,” Waters says, an important consideration when researching topics such as child sex slavery. Consider what you buy. Much of the world’s cocoa is produced in Ghana, where it is harvested largely by child slave labor, Waters says. Look for fair trade chocolate and coffee. 12

Dallas Theological Seminary

in 1990

While Moses’ law allowed forced labor and even debt slavery, the practice was limited and afforded certain protections to the enslaved. It was not to involve unfettered abuse or racial motivations, such as the forced relocation of millions of Africans to North America solely for commercial reasons, Bramer says. Prostitution was never sanctioned in any way. n

seeking theological education. After they married, Jack and Sally assumed active roles in DTS’s ministry. Jack served for thirty years (1981–2011) on the Board of Incorporate Members until he retired in May. For ten of those years he served as chairman of the Board of Trustees (1988–1998). One of the most significant accomplishments during his tenure has been his establishment of the Dallas Seminary Foundation. This was the fruit of Jack’s long-term vision to serve individuals and families who desired to leave a legacy through their estates, while providing for the school’s future financial needs. It has brought him joy to watch as the Lord has used the Foundation over the past twenty-five years to serve families as they steward His gifts. If you walk on the DTS campus today, you will see the Dallas Seminary Foundation offices. You will also see Turpin Library, which Jack and Sally donated. Additionally, you’ll see Luke’s Closet and Pantry, which cutting in 1988 Sally helped develop by organizing Turpin Library ribbonr grandkids

Caught in Traffic

started drinking after a business failure, so Jack’s parents divorced. His mother scraped together enough money to move to the least expensive part of Dallas’s upscale University Park, because she wanted Jack to attend excellent schools. Mrs. Turpin’s commitment paid off when Jack’s fifth-grade teacher, Lannis Smith, took a special interest in the boy who lagged behind his classmates. She tutored him for one hour daily after school. In the Park Cities Jack found more than a good school—he also found Christ. And he discovered he was good at tennis—really good. His tennis acumen combined with his academic standing won him two college scholarships. Having graduated valedictorian from Highland Park High School, Jack went to Rice University, where he won numerous tennis titles. After completing his engineering degree, Jack founded Hall-Mark Electronics Corporation, an electronics distribution firm. He served as chairman of the board until its sale nearly thirty years later. During those years Jack found another love on the tennis court, a young woman named Sally. Sitting with her in Dr. Donald Campbell’s Sunday school class, Jack also developed a love and passion for the Bible. In that class Jack also learned about DTS. Hungry for more Bible teaching, he enrolled in the seminary’s Lay Institute, designed for lay leaders

lly with thei

A Theological Perspective

hen Jack Turpin was in the fourth grade, he got expelled from his Oak Cliff, Texas, school for skipping class. His father had

Jack and Sa

Freedom:

board and faculty wives to distribute clothing, household goods, and food to students. Sally served faithfully until her death seven years ago. She and Jack had been married fifty-one years. As one who believes all his resources belong to God, Jack says he has “fun” being a steward. Part of that stewardship involves partnering with the Dallas Seminary Foundation to manage resources. Financial freedom, Jack says, came when he changed from wanting to make money to wanting to follow God. And he trusts the Foundation’s competent staff to help him manage well. As Lannis Smith was to Jack, Jack continues to be to Dallas Seminary, working to assure that the leaders of the next generation receive solid training. The reason is simple: He believes in the Seminary’s mission. “I believe in the doctrines taught at DTS,” Jack said. “And I believe the seminary is effective in helping people communicate God’s Word throughout the world.” DTS is forever indebted to Jack for his faithful leadership and investment. n n

Minister to men and women trying to break free from pornography. “When men are viewing pornography, whatever they see in porn, they’re enacting on the women and children that they buy,” Waters says. “Pornography and the Internet have extensively fueled sex trafficking of minors and sex tourism around the world.” Become a mentor. FTC and ALERT are looking for volunteers. “Anyone can be ministering to these girls,” Mackenzie says. “You don’t have to have the exact same past to be able to relate to them. If you know what it’s like to be hurt and rejected, you can love these girls.” n

Proverbs 21:26 says, “The righteous give without sparing.” To learn more about making a generous investment in Dallas Seminary’s future, contact Carrie B. Park, CPA and Sr. Planned Giving Officer, in the Dallas Seminary Foundation office at 214-841-3546, send a message to foundation@ dsfplan.org, or go to dts.edu/foundation.

—by Julie Lyons

Kindred Spirit

Free at Last Those who know Christ have come to know the truth that sets us free. We are…

• Free of sin’s ultimate consequences through God’s forgiveness (Col. 2:13–14) • Free from bearing life’s burdens alone; we have His Spirit (John 14:16–18) • Free from the anxiety of life here and now (Matt. 6:30–32) • Free from the addictions that held us chained (John 8:36) • Free from the power of sin (1 Cor. 15:55–57)

Campus NEWS Top Blog DTS professor Dr. Darrell Bock’s blog is listed as #17 in “Top 50 Blogs by Theology Professors.” The Theology Master’s website, which does the ranking, says the blog is part of an elite group of blogs that causes people to think and keeps them abreast of developments in the theology field. Dr. Bock’s blog is hosted by bible.org. FROM THE HOWARD G. HENDRICKS CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP Church Unique Discovery Workshop Speaker: Will Mancini, author of Church Unique Date: Monday, September 12, 2011 Location: Dallas Theological Seminary Time: 9 AM–3 PM (optional session ends at 4 PM) All about Influence: A Women’s Leadership Conference Speaker: Elisa Morgan, publisher of Fulfill and author of She Did What She Could Ten workshops offered Date: Monday, November 14, 2011 Location: Dallas Theological Seminary Time: 8:30 AM–3:30 PM 2012 Wives of Men in Ministry Retreat Date: Sunday, April 15–Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Location: Pine Cove Camp and Conference Center, Tyler, Texas For more information on these events, go to dts.edu/ccl, or call Tiffany Stein at 214-841-3699.

• Free from concerns about life after death (Phil. 1:23) • Free to talk with the God of the universe (Heb. 4:16)

Bible Reference/Study Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on John (Zondervan) Charles R. Swindoll Christian Education A Taste of the Classics (Biblica Publishing) Kenneth D. Boa Christian Living: Practical Life When a Nation Forgets God (Moody Publishers) Erwin W. Lutzer Eschatology The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy (Harvest House Publishers) Mark Hitchcock Gift Books The Prophecy Answer Book (Thomas Nelson) David Jeremiah

The Good Shepherd Come, Good Shepherd, lead us beside still waters. Guide us safely along steep mountain paths.

• Free to be like Christ (Phil. 3:7–10) • Free to love freely (1 John 3:18)

Finalists announced in the 2011 Retailers Choice Awards Voting retailers chose finalists in the 11th annual Retailers Choice Awards, sponsored by Christian Retailing magazine. Finalists were among a record 350-plus products nominated in 39 categories. The competition was judged on the impact these resources had on staff and customers, including the producers’ ability to speak to hearts and evoke emotion, open minds to new ways of thinking, and encourage and affirm Christlike living. A number of the finalists were members of the DTS family:

Protect us with Your rod and staff from the wolf As we graze and rest in verdant, sunlit fields. You who have lain down Your life for the flock’s sake, Seek after those who may wander astray

• Free to live differently (Acts 17:28)

And carry each one back to the welcoming fold. Teach us to know and obey Your voice alone, So when You call, we will gladly follow You

These ten are just a start. Make your own list.

Through the narrow gate to our eternal home, Under Your constant, ever-watchful, loving gaze.

—Barb Peil (MA/CE, 1987) By Kevin Kato (ThM, 1990), who lives in Iwate-ken, Kuji-shi, Japan, where this photo was taken after the earthquake and tsunami.

Dallas Theological Seminary

Kindred Spirit

New Resources from the Seminary Family Recovering the Real Lost Gospel Dr. Darrell L. Bock (ThM, 1979)*

Oneness Embraced Dr. Tony Evans (ThM, 1976; ThD, 1982)**

Jesus the Messiah: Tracing the Promises, Expectations, and Coming of Israel’s King Dr. Herbert Bateman IV (ThM, 1987; PhD, 1993); Dr. Darrell Bock (ThM, 1979),* and Dr. Gordon Johnston (ThM, 1985; ThD, 1992)*

Sumatra with the Seven Churches Sandra Glahn (ThM, 2001)* and Crickett Keeth (MA/CE, 2005)**

The Gospel according to Isaiah 53 Dr. Darrell Bock (ThM, 1979)* and Mitch Glaser, eds. and contributors. Other contributors include Dr. Robert Chisholm Jr. (ThD, 1983)* and Dr. Donald Sunukjian (ThM, 1966; ThD, 1972)

Holy Ambition: Turning God-Shaped Dreams into Reality Dr. Chip Ingram (ThM, 1984)

Tending the Soul Contributing authors Mindy Caliguire (Jeff, ThM, 1990); Angela Thomas (MA/CE, 1987); Sandra Glahn (ThM, 2001);* Carolyn Custis James (MA[BS], 1977)

Pure Desire: Moral Sanity in a Sex-Saturated Culture Dr. Gary Inrig (ThM, 1969; DMin, 1984)

The Essential Guide for Church Leaders William Cook Jr. and Dr. Lindsay Gunn (MA[BS], 1977)

Half the Church: Recovering God’s Global Vision for Women Carolyn Custis James (MA[BS], 1977)**

Lord, I Feel So Small John Drury (ThM, 1976)

The Whole Bible Story: Everything That Happens in the Bible in Plain English Dr. William Marty (STM, 1979; ThD, 1984)

Character Counts: The Power of Personal Integrity Dr. Charles Dyer (ThM, 1979; PhD, 1986)

Show Me How to Preach Evangelistic Sermons Larry Moyer (ThM, 1973)

From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology John Dyer (ThM, 2008)*

An Anchor for the Soul, second ed. Ray Pritchard (ThM, 1978)

A Commentary on the Psalms Dr. Allen Ross (ThM, 1969; ThD, 1977)

Ten Questions Every Christian Must Answer Dr. Alex McFarland and Dr. Elmer Towns (ThM, 1958)

The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic? Michael Rydelnik (ThM, 1983)

God Laughs, and 42 More Surprising Facts about God That Will Change Your Life Dr. Elmer Towns (ThM, 1958) and Charles Billingsley

Life Interrupted: Navigating the Unexpected Priscilla Evans Shirer (MA[BS], 1998)

Revisiting the Corruption of the New Testament: Manuscript, Patristic, and Apocryphal Evidence Dr. Daniel Wallace, ed. (ThM, 1979; PhD, 1995)*

Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted Priscilla Evans Shirer (MA[BS], 1998)

Why, O God? Suffering and Disability in the Bible and the Church Edited by Dr. Larry Waters (PhD, 1998)* and Dr. Roy Zuck (ThM, 1957; ThD, 1961)* Contributors include Dr. Ronald Allen,* Dr. James Allman,* Dr. Victor Anderson,* Dr. Mark Bailey,* Jessica James Baldridge, Dr. Douglas Blount,* Dr. Stephen Bramer,* Dr. Thomas Constable,* Patricia Evans, Greg Hatteberg,* Michael Justice, Dr. Linda Marten,* Dr. James Neathery, Daniel Thomson, Dr. Stanley Toussaint,* Dr. Richard Voet,* and Amy Wilson

Faithful, Abundant, True Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer (MA[BS], 1998), and Kay Arthur

The Invitation Greg Sidders (ThM, 1988)**

The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be Andy Stanley (ThM, 1985)

VIDEO SERIES “The Art of Marriage” from FamilyLife Bryan Carter (MA/CE, 2009) Dr. Michael Easley (ThM, 1985; DMin, 2003) Dr. Dennis Rainey (MA[BS], 1976)

The Reliability of the New Testament: Bart Ehrman and Daniel Wallace in Dialogue Robert B. Stewart, editor; Dr. Daniel Wallace (ThM, 1979; PhD, 1995),* and Dr. Bart Ehrman For more resources go to www.dts.edu/books. *Denotes DTS faculty member **Excerpt online at www.dts.edu/ks

Dallas Theological Seminary

Kindred Spirit

Follow the

FACULTY

Taking the Word around the World

F r o m t h e C H A N C E L L OR Members of Dallas Theological Seminary’s full-time faculty will minister at these locations in the months ahead.

For a complete listing of faculty travel go to www.dts.edu/ks. SOUTHWEST Dr. Ronald B. Allen Oct 23 Grace Bible Church, Houston, Texas Dr. Vic Anderson Sep 3–4 Family retreat, First Chinese Baptist Church of Dallas, Pine Cove Conference Center, Tyler, Texas Dr. Mark Bailey Sep 25 Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas; Oct 23 Mansfield Bible Church, Mansfield, Texas; Nov 20 Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas Dr. John Hannah Oct 14–16 Missions Conference, Grace Bible Church, San Marcos, Texas Dr. Glenn Kreider Aug 27 Bethel Bible Church, Tyler, Texas Dr. Michael Pocock Aug 14 Missions Sunday, Faith Bible Church, The Woodlands, Texas; Nov 1 China Bible Ministry Exposition– Forum, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas Dr. Ramesh Richard Sep 15 Connext Conference, Dallas, Texas; Oct 5 Chapel, LeTourneau University, Longview, Texas; Dec 17 Dean Fellowship Dinner, Dallas, Texas Dr. Daniel B. Wallace Aug 15 “Did the Ancient Church Muzzle the Canon?” Reasonable Faith Chapter, Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas; Aug 16 “Recent Manuscript Discoveries in Greece,” Interstate Battery System of America, Dallas,

Texas; Oct 1 Debate with Bart Ehrman on the Reliability of the New Testament Text, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas Dr. Mark Yarbrough Sept 2–4 Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas WEST Dr. Vic Anderson Oct 28–30 Lord’s Grace Christian Church, Mountain View, California Dr. Darrell Bock Sep 23–25 Bread of Life Church, Torrance California; Oct 7–8 Shepherd Word Conference, Denver, Colorado Dr. John Hannah Sep 1–6 Fall Bible Conference, Elm Street Baptist Church, Sweet Home, Oregon Dr. Steve Strauss Nov 14–15 Missions Conference, Moody Bible Institute–Spokane, Spokane, Washington Dr. Daniel B. Wallace Sep 21–23 Biola University, La Mirada, California; Nov 6 Church of the Open Door, Glendora, California; Nov 19–22 Society of Biblical Literature, San Francisco, California Dr. Mark Yarbrough Aug 18–21 Idaho Family Camp/Camp Perkins, Stanley, Idaho MIDWEST Dr. Ronald B. Allen Oct 14–16 Community Bible Church, Omaha, Nebraska; Nov 20 Horizon

Dallas Theological Seminary

Community Church, Branson, Missouri Dr. Mark Bailey Nov 12–13 Bible Conference, Skiff Lake Bible Church, Clarklake, Michigan Dr. John Hannah Oct 7–9 Bible Conference, Trinity Word of Life Church, Kansas City, Missouri Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla Nov 8–10 Spiritual Enrichment Week, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois Dr. Ramesh Richard Oct 28 Moody Business Network, Chicago, Illinois; Oct 28–30 Missions Conference, Chinese Christian Union Church, Chicago, Illinois Dr. Stanley Toussaint Sep 19–23 Maranatha Bible Conference, Muskegon, Michigan Dr. Daniel B. Wallace Oct 21 “Faith at Risk,” Twin City Fellowship, St. Louis Park, Minnesota SOUTHEAST Dr. Ronald B. Allen Nov 6 Bayside Community Church, Tampa, Florida Dr. Mark Bailey Aug 28 Colonial Baptist Church, Cary, North Carolina; Sep 11 North Monroe Baptist Church, Monroe, Louisiana; Oct 16 Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas, Rogers, Arkansas; Nov 6 First Bible Church, Decatur, Alabama Dr. Robert Lightner Oct 10–14 Piedmont Baptist Graduate School, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Dr. Stanley Toussaint Oct 29–30 Immanuel Baptist Church Richmond, Virginia NORTHEAST Dr. Vic Anderson Oct 4–6 Lloyd Perry Preaching Chapels, Lancaster Bible College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Dr. Mark Bailey Aug 18–19 Word of Life Fellowship, Schroon Lake, New York INTERNATIONAL Dr. Scott Horrell Sep18–24 Word of Life Bible Institute, Budapest, HUNGARY Dr. Ramesh Richard Sep 2–4 Global Proclamation Academy, HAITI; Oct 15–17 Ambassadors of State, MOZAMBIQUE; Nov 11–19 Evangelistic events, Hong Kong, CHINA; Manila, PHILLIPPINES; Taipei, TAIWAN; Taichung, TAIWAN; SINGAPORE; Nov 20 Grace Baptist Church, SINGAPORE Dr. Stanley Toussaint Nov 15–23 Yan Fook Church, Hong Kong, CHINA

The Freedom of Grace

erhaps you have heard the story of a tightrope walker incarcerated in a Russian concentration camp. When Stalin died and pressure eased up on prisoners, he performed for his fellow inmates. Afterward, a rabbi asked how he could walk on such a thin rope without falling off. At first the performer hesitated to answer, but following much prompting he finally revealed his secret: “I fix my eye on where I’m going, and never even think about falling.” I’m convinced that believing the Bible’s teaching on grace is a lot like tightrope walking. Back when I wrote The Grace Awakening, I prepared myself for the responses I would hear to such teaching. “Won’t some people take it to an extreme?” people asked. “Won’t some take unfair liberties if we tell them the message of grace?” “Won’t an awakening of grace lead to the abuse of grace?” The late Welsh minister Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said that preaching grace is not only risky, but the fact that some take it to unwise extremes proves that we are preaching the true grace of God. Some will take advantage of such teaching. They will misrepresent it. They will go so far as to promote the wrong idea that you can go on sinning as much as you like. The idea of grace has always been controversial. It brings grace-abusers as well as grace-killers out from under the rocks! Paul met them head-on in the first century; we must do the same in the twenty-first. All who embrace grace become “free indeed.” Free from what? Free to walk in the heights without fear. Free from self. Free from shame and condemnation. Free from the tyranny of others’ opinions, expectations, and demands. Free to obey. Free to love. Free to forgive others as well as ourselves. Free to allow others to be who they are—different. Free to live beyond the limitations of human effort. Free to serve and glorify Christ! Because of grace we have been freed from sin . . . from its slavery, its bondage in our attitude, in our urges, and in our actions. But having been freed and now living by grace, we can actually go too far, set aside all self-control, and take our liberty to such an extreme that we again serve sin. Yet that isn’t liberty at all; it’s license. And knowing of that possibility, many opt for the less risky ground of legalism lest they be tempted to live irresponsibly. Bad choice! Freedom scares us. Many prefer to have someone tell them what to do and when, how to believe and why. The result is the tragic state of perpetual spiritual adolescence. Certainly we have to watch out for the strong gusts that will occasionally blow like mad. But we must focus on Jesus Christ rather than on falling if we hope to enjoy our walk on the tightrope of grace. n

The idea of grace has always been controversial.

—Dr. Charles R. Swindoll

Kindred Spirit

DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Dallas, TX PERMIT NO. 1037